Species Account

Parvicardium minimum (Philippi, 1836)

Cardioidea : Cardiidae

Tebble name: Parvicardium minimum (Philippi)
Smith & Heppell name: Parvicardium minimum (Philippi, 1836)

To size: To 12mm. Shell Structure: Thin shelled, almost translucent. Equivalve: Equivalve. Equilateral: Inequilateral, beaks a little in front of the midline. Outline: Subcircular somewhat quadrate; anterior dorsal margin very short, straight; posterior dorsal margin much longer, straight but gently sloping. Posterior margin gently curved; ventral and anterior margins a broad even curve. Contour: Posterior angle very weak.

Sculpture: 28-32 radial riblets, interspaces narrower than riblets except on the posterior area; Interspaces with fine concentric ridges, obscure in some, forming narrow slits or notches in others. Ribs with numerous thin, erect, somewhat ∧-shaped cusps; most prominent on the posterior and anterior riblets. Form 1: The median and anterior cusps are narrow, not extending to the edges of the riblets; posterior angle riblets with cusps in two parts, a large median section and a smaller marginal section on the anterior face of the riblet. In large shells, a small section is also present on the posterior face of the riblets giving a three-part appearance. Cusps on the last few posterior riblets elevated. Form 2: The cusps on all riblets are prominent and extend to the margins of the riblets, the cusps on the posterior angle riblets remain entire. Juveniles: Rounded in outline, posterior angle absent, riblets with fine cusps but these large and giving a distinct spiny appearance to the posterior few riblets. Margin: Crenulated by interlocking ribs and interspaces. Furrows extending into the umbonal cavity. Ligament: Prominent, on short nymph. Hinge: Weak, RV with 2 anterior laterals, 1 posterior lateral, 2 cardinals. LV with single anterior and posterior laterals and 2 cardinals. Pallial Musculature: Obscure. Periostracum: Thin. Colour: White.

Distribution & Ecology

Offshore across the shelf in muds and muddy sands; apparently absent from the southern North Sea and English Channel

Depth Range
Continental Shelf (to 200m)

Additional Information & Related Species

References

Listed are literature citing Parvicardium minimum (Philippi, 1836). Reference containing the species Type Description is highlighted.

Philippi R A 1836. Enumeratio molluscorum Siciliae cum viventium tum in tellure tertiaria fossilium, quae in itinere suo observavit. Vol. 1 Schropp, Berlin. 267pp, 12pls.
Van Aartsen JJ & Goud J 2000. European marine mollusca: notes on less well-known species. XV. Notes on Lusitanian species of Parvicardium Monterosato, 1884, and Afrocardium richardi (Audouin, 1826) (Bivalvia: Heterodonta: Cardiidae. Basteria. 64: 171-186.
Van Aartsen JJ & Goud J 2001. European marine mollusca: notes on less well-known species. XVII. Parvicardium carrozzai spec. nov., with notes on P. minimum (Philippi, 1836) and Cardium perrieri Dautzenberg & Fischer, 1897 (Bivalvia: Heterodonta: Cardiidae). Basteria. 65: 117-122.

Resources

  • Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland
    Provides resources for understanding, identifying, recording, and conserving molluscs
  • CLEMAM
    Check List of European Marine Mollusca
  • MarLIN
    The Marine Life Information Network for Britain and Ireland (MarLIN) provides information for marine environmental management, protection and education. It is a centre of excellence in spatially based and time-series marine biological information and supports good stewardship in the marine environment.
  • NBN Gateway
    National Biodiversity Network's Gateway. Use it to explore UK biodiversity data, as contributed by participating data providers.
  • BivAToL
  • MarBEF
  • Malacological Society
  • Unitas Malacologica
  • Census of Marine Life
  • MarBEF
    MarBEF, a network of excellence funded by the European Union and consisting of 94 European marine institutes, is a platform to integrate and disseminate knowledge and expertise on marine biodiversity, with links to researchers, industry, stakeholders and the general public.

Record last modified: 17/05/2016